Kir here - greetings to all from the special administrative region of Macau!
I arrived in Macau this evening after a day of air travel. My first flight today was fun, because I met a nice Canadian from Edmonton, and we sat together on the plane and hung out in Kuala Lumpur going through customs and getting our bags. His family is originally from Hong Kong, but he's fully Canadian. He's done 24 hour mountain bike races too, so we had lots to talk about! At the end of it all, we said goodbye and he invited me to email if I was ever close to Edmonton so that we could go for a ride. It was so homey! The second flight, from K.L. to Macau, wasn't as social as the first, but I finished the Readers Digest Condensed Book I had picked up in Lovina. That book was the dirtiest, moldiest, crackliest weather-beaten book I have ever read in my life! There were slim pickings for books in Lovina, and I took the old thing home to live out its twilight years - it has now died a peaceful death in a garbage can in the Macau airport.
Once in Macau, I rocked the solo budget travels!
No taxi or airport shuttle for me - I took the packed-full city bus to the hostel neighbourhood where Jon and I stayed last time - it was an adventure! I wasn't sure whether I was even on the right bus, and the driver didn't speak English, but he enlisted the help of a young student, and I was indeed going the right direction. I was the only whitey on the bus, and everyone was SOO helpful! The other passengers showed me where to put my bag, helped me put my pack back on when it was time to get off the bus, and were really concerned that I get off at the right stop. They showed me where to take the bus to the ferry terminal tomorrow too. People were really kind.
Macau today is sweltering, and by the time I walked to Jon and my street, I was dripping. I made a choice of character over comfort though, and headed for the non-air-conditioned San Va Guesthouse. Here's a quote from the Lonely Planet site about it - you can see why I chose it:
If you've ever dreamed of staying in a street where part of an Indiana Jones movie was shot, in a place that is an (unofficial) old brothel, then the San Va is for you. It's also about the cheapest and most charismatic lodging in town.
The San Va occupies a couple of very old terrace houses at the end of Rua Felicidade, otherwise known as the Street of Happiness because it was once wall-to-wall knocking shops. Many of the buildings retain their red doors and window shutters, even if the flesh trade has long since moved on to larger hotels. The San Va is undoubtedly historic but it's totally devoid of luxury. Instead, you get character in spades. The 1st-floor reception was, an English-free zone, and the wizened old receptionist responded best to fingers - one for a single, two for a double. Helpfully, though, an English-Cantonese cheat sheet was taped to the counter. The rooms are small with wafer-thin walls - we liked room 205, with a balcony. Bathrooms are rudimentary, and prices vary for internal facilities or shared - hot water is at a premium.
I'll take some photos of the San Va for you all later tonight and tomorrow. What a place!
After settling in to my room, I set off in search of food, and hopefully, an English menu to go with it. I found both at the restaurant where Jon and I ate last time - Dragon Mama. I ate a fine meal of curried duck noodles washed down with a Pocari Sweat (Asia's answer to Gatorade). Ahhh....
Right now I'm sitting in a sketchy internet cafe at the top of my street. Last time Jon and I were here walking through we quickly saw that there are no family filters on the computers in this all-hours establishment, if you know what I mean. I scanned the streets for other options and found none, so here I am. It's not too late yet though, so I think the internet activity is still "PG-13" at this hour.
I'm planning to eat a gelato - I passed a shop on my way here - and enjoy the Macau evening. It's hot, and my room, dating as it does from the 1930's, has no a/c. I will stay out and stroll for a while, and maybe go down to the central plaza Jon and I discovered last time.
It's great to be here - I'm really enjoying the change of scene from Bali, and the adventure of a new place once again.
I'm on my way home, and making the most of my long journey!
Tuesday, July 29, 2008
Monday, July 28, 2008
Kir begins two days of travel.
Kir went to the airport early this morning, to catch a 7:30am flight. I joined her there, after hauling myself out of bed and into the vehicle she'd arranged to bring us there.
Kir has quite a long trip home. She'll fly from Bali to Kuala Lumpur in Malaysia, wait for two hours, then fly from Kuala Lumpur to Macau. She'll arrive in the evening, and will stay one night, most likely in the nice small hotel we found on our way here.
Then, Kir must take a fast ferry over to Hong Kong, a 30 minute trip. She'll stay in Hong Kong for another night, and will wake up to catch a noontime flight back to Canada.
When all the costs are worked out, it seems like taking a direct flight from Canada to Bali costs the same as taking numerous other flights and sleeping in numerous hotels. Kir's now a hardy Asian traveler, so she'll be fine with the extra nights on the continent. If she were to do it again though, I'd wager that she'd choose the direct flight option!
So even though Kir's already left, she won't arrive in Canada for some time. Have a good trip Kir!
Sunday, July 27, 2008
Surfing again?
I may live to surf another day. But I'm not sure.
I found a latex swimming cap at the store, and as Mom suggested, I might wear it in combination with my earplugs. This arrangement might seal my ears off enough to hit the water again!
But I have a bit of trepidation about getting back into the ocean. My ear is improving, and I can hear a tiny bit more out of it every day. I don't want to risk an infection, and I don't want to regret going out to sea with my earplugs and swimming hat, thinking my ears would stay dry enough.
I think I will try it out, and see how dry my ears can stay. I don't want to suffer through earaches, doctor appointments and surgery like Carol has, just because I couldn't stay out of the water.
Going to Lovina a few days ago was good respite from the surfing scene of Kuta. It was easier not being able to surf when every shop wasn't showing a surfing DVD, and there wasn't a board shop and ding repair garage every thirty feet.
Lovina is on the north coast of Bali, and takes between three and four hours to drive there. While we were there, the vibe there felt a bit like Sauble Beach might a few days after Labour Day Weekend, the unofficial end of summer in Ontario.
Most of the stores and restaurants were still open, and a few people were around, but the summer energy was missing. Storekeepers seemed desperate to make sales, and the bracelet and souvenir dealers on the beach hovered too close and too long, wishing to sell their goods to the remaining tourists.
Apparently Lovina has suffered from the Bali bombs of 2002 and 2005. There's been a 40% decrease in tourists (according to one of our drivers) in Bali, meaning less people make the three hour trek to Lovina.
The major attractions at Lovina are dolphin watching and diving. Whenever you step out on the beach, locals approach asking to take you dolphin watching or snorkeling in their boats. In Kuta, the beach sellers will ask you once to buy something, but then usually don't return if you don't purchase. At Lovina, the sellers (and their friends) would constantly return trying to sell their goods, even after numerous 'no thank-you' comments.
It must be a hard life, being a beach seller. I tried to understand that while I was there, but it was quite annoying not being able to step onto the sand without being canvassed.
Here are the local boats that offer to take you dolphin watching or snorkeling, or even fishing I guess, if you wanted to tag along. I wasn't interested in dolphin watching, so I never took the salesmen up on their offers.
I really enjoyed Lovina, despite the constant barrage of sales pitches. I would return again. When I do, I hope things have picked up for the Lovina area, so the sellers won't have to try so hard to make sales.
I found a latex swimming cap at the store, and as Mom suggested, I might wear it in combination with my earplugs. This arrangement might seal my ears off enough to hit the water again!
But I have a bit of trepidation about getting back into the ocean. My ear is improving, and I can hear a tiny bit more out of it every day. I don't want to risk an infection, and I don't want to regret going out to sea with my earplugs and swimming hat, thinking my ears would stay dry enough.
I think I will try it out, and see how dry my ears can stay. I don't want to suffer through earaches, doctor appointments and surgery like Carol has, just because I couldn't stay out of the water.
Going to Lovina a few days ago was good respite from the surfing scene of Kuta. It was easier not being able to surf when every shop wasn't showing a surfing DVD, and there wasn't a board shop and ding repair garage every thirty feet.
Lovina is on the north coast of Bali, and takes between three and four hours to drive there. While we were there, the vibe there felt a bit like Sauble Beach might a few days after Labour Day Weekend, the unofficial end of summer in Ontario.
Most of the stores and restaurants were still open, and a few people were around, but the summer energy was missing. Storekeepers seemed desperate to make sales, and the bracelet and souvenir dealers on the beach hovered too close and too long, wishing to sell their goods to the remaining tourists.
Apparently Lovina has suffered from the Bali bombs of 2002 and 2005. There's been a 40% decrease in tourists (according to one of our drivers) in Bali, meaning less people make the three hour trek to Lovina.
The major attractions at Lovina are dolphin watching and diving. Whenever you step out on the beach, locals approach asking to take you dolphin watching or snorkeling in their boats. In Kuta, the beach sellers will ask you once to buy something, but then usually don't return if you don't purchase. At Lovina, the sellers (and their friends) would constantly return trying to sell their goods, even after numerous 'no thank-you' comments.
It must be a hard life, being a beach seller. I tried to understand that while I was there, but it was quite annoying not being able to step onto the sand without being canvassed.
Here are the local boats that offer to take you dolphin watching or snorkeling, or even fishing I guess, if you wanted to tag along. I wasn't interested in dolphin watching, so I never took the salesmen up on their offers.
I really enjoyed Lovina, despite the constant barrage of sales pitches. I would return again. When I do, I hope things have picked up for the Lovina area, so the sellers won't have to try so hard to make sales.
Ahh, Lovina
KVD here again...
Here are some shots from our last side trip to Lovina. Like you can see in the photos, it was a really relaxed beach town, where traditional fishing still goes on.
It was a great trip. After five days on my own, I was happy for Jon and Nathalie's company!
Here are some shots from our last side trip to Lovina. Like you can see in the photos, it was a really relaxed beach town, where traditional fishing still goes on.
It was a great trip. After five days on my own, I was happy for Jon and Nathalie's company!
Kir's Mountain Bike Pics
Kir here!
Some of my most vivid memories of this trip are from my three mountain bike rides: the touristy downhill (the one where I got a little lost!); the epic Batur Crater Rim Ride; and then an off-road, REALLY quick redux of the touristy ride, downhill in basically the same Kitimani to Ubud area in central Bali.
Here are some photos from my rides, and some photos from the internet of the same terrain, for the parts when I didn't have my camera with me.
Kintamani is in the central mountains of Bali. It's the area where all three of my rides started. This shot was taken at the edge of the village of Kintamani at the start of the Batur Crater ride. You can see how misty it was at that elevation that day!
Here's a shot of the classic view from Kintamani down into the valley below. I saw this for the first time the day of the touristy ride:
Here's an action shot of me close to the end of the third ride, approaching the outskirts of Ubud. Those are rice fields beside me, and there's a river down the slope to my left.
Here are some internet pictures of the crazy Batur Crater ride. The first two show the bike track, and the third shows the view from the crater - sorry they're small!
After we descended from the crater rim, the transition section before the lava flow looked like this - cliff face views from below, with single and doubletrack skirting small farms:
This last one is me riding across the lava flow from the last explosion of Mount Batur volcano:
Amazing rides!
Thursday, July 24, 2008
Heading up to the North Country
No cold wind in my eye though. Haha...if you get it, you get it. If you don't, you don't.
So I'm not too happy about my ear, but in the grand scheme of things it's not that bad. I did some internet research (never a good idea for medical issues...you always read the worst things) and it says a punctured eardrum often heals on its own. Carol said the same things, so that's good.
I must make sure it doesn't get infected though, so I'll wear my earplugs a lot, maybe even when I'm not swimming. I might be able to rig up some sort of bathing cap headband that can cover my ears and keep the water out, enabling me to surf. We'll see. I don't want to take a gamble and end up in a worse place though.
For now, I'm heading up to the northern most part of Bali with our Swiss friend Natalie, where we'll meet Kir. It'll be nice to get away from the beach for awhile. This beach, anyway. We're going to Lovina beach, where the sand is volcanic and black, and where dolphins swim.
So, I'm heading north for a few days. I've got my coolie had for shade, and some fresh socks. And my earplugs.
So I'm not too happy about my ear, but in the grand scheme of things it's not that bad. I did some internet research (never a good idea for medical issues...you always read the worst things) and it says a punctured eardrum often heals on its own. Carol said the same things, so that's good.
I must make sure it doesn't get infected though, so I'll wear my earplugs a lot, maybe even when I'm not swimming. I might be able to rig up some sort of bathing cap headband that can cover my ears and keep the water out, enabling me to surf. We'll see. I don't want to take a gamble and end up in a worse place though.
For now, I'm heading up to the northern most part of Bali with our Swiss friend Natalie, where we'll meet Kir. It'll be nice to get away from the beach for awhile. This beach, anyway. We're going to Lovina beach, where the sand is volcanic and black, and where dolphins swim.
So, I'm heading north for a few days. I've got my coolie had for shade, and some fresh socks. And my earplugs.
Wednesday, July 23, 2008
Forced into retirement
Booooooo. It looks like I'll be retiring from surfing for the time being.
When I bailed on the big wave a few days ago, water got smashed into my ear. I was not wearing my earplugs.
I saw a doctor today, and he says there's now a tiny hole in my eardrum. This is disappointing, because the nurse i saw a few days ago said it was fine. I'll trust the doctor on this one.
He said it's important to keep it from getting infected, so I've decided to stop surfing as it could make it worse.
Now, my schedule is wide open for the next two weeks, and I'm not quite sure how to fill it. There are book stores all over the place here, so that's good I guess.
Wear your earplugs everyone.
Ride of a Lifetime
Kir here...
While I was still at home, I made plans to do some "real" mountain biking while I was in Bali. I found a solid company called Bali Trailblazers run by an ex-pat British girl, but thought I might find a cheaper local company once I was here. After a few days in Ubud, I realized that, as their website says, they truly are the only company in Bali offering intermediate cross-country riding here rather than tourist day-trips, with "no experience necessary."
On Tuesday I headed out with one guide, Ramang, and one back-up driver, Made (Ma-DAY), on the Batur Crater Rim Ride, the company's classic day ride. Here's a GPS of the route:
I knew the ride was going to stretch me out from the start - we started on asphalt, and my guide was riding pretty quick around the twisty bendy descent to where the singletrack began. At the end of the asphalt, he pointed and said, "We're going up there!" I thought I must have misunderstood because I didn't see any trail. Then Ramang started up a big hill through tall grass, with only the hint of a footpath through it. I followed, and that's where the epic adventure began!
The trails we rode aren't dedicated, maintained mountain bike trails like we would have at home, but are a network of old footpaths between mountain villages. To make the trail routes originally, the guides went riding in the area with a GPS, and then recorded where the footpaths were. They tried to find as much singletrack as they could, but had to use old broken asphalt roads sometimes to connect the singletrack sections. No other bike tour companies use these trails, and since mountain biking isn't too big a sport here, local riders didn't seem to use them either. We didn't see too many people at all - farmers on foot with machetes once in a while, and that's about it...
The ride was absolutely amazing. I don't have pictures of the most spectacular parts of the route because I had to concentrate on riding the trail, and couldn't stop to take photos. You can see that the trail goes along the volcano's crater for about 10k. On the rim, I could see the land sloping down to the sea on the left, and then an almost sheer drop on the right, down to the valley, with the Mt. Batur volcano rising up. I never thought I would ever see scenery like that in my life, especially not from a mountain bike.
The ride itself was challenging, especially riding the rim. There were pretty high winds, and it was pretty narrow in some parts, with maybe a metre or so on each side before the drop-offs. The vegetation along some parts of the rim ride was really tall grass, which made the trail hard to see and blew in my face a lot. It was really exciting! Like you see in the GPS, the ride was a descent, so there were lots of downhills - fast ones!
The surface along the rim was gravelly and rocky in spots, with ruts. My heart was in my mouth as Peter's coaching automatically popped into my brain: "Hold on to your bars and leave the brake alone...", "Look as far ahead as you dare...", "On stuff like this, it's safer to go fast...", "Your bike wants to go straight, don't micromanage..." What an intense and wonderful experience. My arms were shaking from the impact of riding over rough terrain and from nerves, and I crashed once when I tried to brake too hard on the first or second hill.
The terrain and riding surface along our route were pretty varied. We rode steep asphalt sections, singletrack skirting farmers' fields and rice paddies, rural double track beside palm trees and cliffs. The last section of the ride was really interesting - we rode for about half an hour across the lava flow from the last eruption of the volcano. Riding lava flow was a cross between riding a continuous rock garden and a really bumpy dirt road - lots of rocks the size of your fist, but compacted together by big trucks that go out onto the flow to get the rocks for construction. Lots of little ups and downs in that part, and I was about to crack and ask for a break when we came to the end!
What a trip. Riding in Indonesia is probably like surfing here was a few decades ago: barely anyone does it, there's no one else on the trails, and the scenery is magnificent. Bali Trailblazers did a great job arranging the ride and guiding - really professional and friendly.
I had a stupendous day, a life experience I will never forget.
While I was still at home, I made plans to do some "real" mountain biking while I was in Bali. I found a solid company called Bali Trailblazers run by an ex-pat British girl, but thought I might find a cheaper local company once I was here. After a few days in Ubud, I realized that, as their website says, they truly are the only company in Bali offering intermediate cross-country riding here rather than tourist day-trips, with "no experience necessary."
On Tuesday I headed out with one guide, Ramang, and one back-up driver, Made (Ma-DAY), on the Batur Crater Rim Ride, the company's classic day ride. Here's a GPS of the route:
I knew the ride was going to stretch me out from the start - we started on asphalt, and my guide was riding pretty quick around the twisty bendy descent to where the singletrack began. At the end of the asphalt, he pointed and said, "We're going up there!" I thought I must have misunderstood because I didn't see any trail. Then Ramang started up a big hill through tall grass, with only the hint of a footpath through it. I followed, and that's where the epic adventure began!
The trails we rode aren't dedicated, maintained mountain bike trails like we would have at home, but are a network of old footpaths between mountain villages. To make the trail routes originally, the guides went riding in the area with a GPS, and then recorded where the footpaths were. They tried to find as much singletrack as they could, but had to use old broken asphalt roads sometimes to connect the singletrack sections. No other bike tour companies use these trails, and since mountain biking isn't too big a sport here, local riders didn't seem to use them either. We didn't see too many people at all - farmers on foot with machetes once in a while, and that's about it...
The ride was absolutely amazing. I don't have pictures of the most spectacular parts of the route because I had to concentrate on riding the trail, and couldn't stop to take photos. You can see that the trail goes along the volcano's crater for about 10k. On the rim, I could see the land sloping down to the sea on the left, and then an almost sheer drop on the right, down to the valley, with the Mt. Batur volcano rising up. I never thought I would ever see scenery like that in my life, especially not from a mountain bike.
The ride itself was challenging, especially riding the rim. There were pretty high winds, and it was pretty narrow in some parts, with maybe a metre or so on each side before the drop-offs. The vegetation along some parts of the rim ride was really tall grass, which made the trail hard to see and blew in my face a lot. It was really exciting! Like you see in the GPS, the ride was a descent, so there were lots of downhills - fast ones!
The surface along the rim was gravelly and rocky in spots, with ruts. My heart was in my mouth as Peter's coaching automatically popped into my brain: "Hold on to your bars and leave the brake alone...", "Look as far ahead as you dare...", "On stuff like this, it's safer to go fast...", "Your bike wants to go straight, don't micromanage..." What an intense and wonderful experience. My arms were shaking from the impact of riding over rough terrain and from nerves, and I crashed once when I tried to brake too hard on the first or second hill.
The terrain and riding surface along our route were pretty varied. We rode steep asphalt sections, singletrack skirting farmers' fields and rice paddies, rural double track beside palm trees and cliffs. The last section of the ride was really interesting - we rode for about half an hour across the lava flow from the last eruption of the volcano. Riding lava flow was a cross between riding a continuous rock garden and a really bumpy dirt road - lots of rocks the size of your fist, but compacted together by big trucks that go out onto the flow to get the rocks for construction. Lots of little ups and downs in that part, and I was about to crack and ask for a break when we came to the end!
What a trip. Riding in Indonesia is probably like surfing here was a few decades ago: barely anyone does it, there's no one else on the trails, and the scenery is magnificent. Bali Trailblazers did a great job arranging the ride and guiding - really professional and friendly.
I had a stupendous day, a life experience I will never forget.
Ka-Chunk! (checking in!)
I don't have much to write, since I haven't done anything terribly different for the past few days. I like it though...I wake up, head to the beach, have a surf, read my book, eat something, maybe surf some more...
I did do something interesting today, actually. I biked to the airport to change my ticket. I could have gotten a taxi or shuttle bus, but I decided to do it on my own steam. It was only a few kilometers, and didn't take too long. The Kuta streets were clogged, but I was able to just ride right by all the stopped cars. I would wager that I wouldn't have saved any time by getting a taxi.
I've now got my ticket sorted out, and will leave Bali on August 8th. I'll have spent almost a month here by the time I go! I can see how the Aussies staying at my cottages can be here for three months. It's such a nice existence.
I'm waiting for a breakthrough with my surfing. The waves are pretty heavy though, so I'm a bit nervous of them! Tomorrow I will seek out waves that don't pack as much punch, and will be a bit easier to learn on.
I'm wondering if I should see more of Bali, or just stick around here. I just don't know. I like it a lot where I am, doing what I'm doing. Hmmm. Maybe on the weekend I'll plan my next move.
Starting on the July 30th, there is a pro surfing tour stop at Uluwatu. All the pros will be in town, and hopefully the swell will be good. Free shuttles will be going from the surf shops, so I'll take advantage. Not that I know too much about pro surfers, but it seems like something to see while I'm here. There hasn't been a pro surfing event in Indonesia since 1996, so people are excited.
That's all from here...have a good day everyone!
Tuesday, July 22, 2008
Cremation Season
In Bali, there is a time for everything, "good days" for performing both everyday tasks and special religious ones. This year, July and August are the good season for cremations. In March of this year, a member of Ubud's royal family died. He was cremated in a huge community ceremony on July 15. Many common people were cremated with him, in a joint ceremony held in another part of town.
Here's a photo of the huge ladder used for the "pallbearers" to climb up to the cremation platform to get the ashes down afterward. The cremation platform for the royal deceased was so tall and heavy (it weighed in the tonnes) that it took 150 men to carry it. Hydro lines had to be taken down so that the platform could pass through the streets. Here's a photo of the giant ladder at dusk (on the left, beside an entrance to the Ubud temple courtyard). It is about three stories high, and made of bamboo.
I arrived five days after the huge cremation festival, which packed the streets of Ubud with Balinese and foreigners alike. I came in time for a further step in cremation ceremonies though. The people in the top photo and the one below are carrying the ashes of their loved ones down to the river to be scattered there. This procession was like a long parade, right down the street where my guest house is.
To finish off, here's a picture from the "front yard" of my guest house. Every morning, the family who runs my "b & b" sets out tea on my verandah, and then when I get up I have my breakfast there. It's fresh fruit with varying types of bread - toast with honey yesterday, and french toast this morning. Ahhh...
The boys in the photo are trying to get a kite up in the air - kites are really popular in Bali - just look up and you'll almost always see a few flying!
Solo in Ubud
KVD here...
On Sunday morning I left Jon in Kuta for a solo adventure in the Ubud region. Ubud is the cultural centre of Bali, and is located in the central highlands of the country. I've seen many amazing sights since I arrived.
When I first got here, I found a place to stay and explored the city a bit. After that, I went to a Legong Dance performance at Ubud Palace, a community meeting place and open-air stage in downtown Ubud. What an experience of sound, colour, and movement! I found it a more intense experience than seeing a really great play in Stratford. I'm planning to go to another performance tonight, one called a Lecak Fire Dance.
My first full day in Ubud I went on a "nature walk." Actually, it was a community farming walk, but that was good for me too. Our guide was from the countryside originally, and knew a lot about farming methods, plants, and regional knowledge. Here's a photo of a woman processing rice. She's beating the rice to make the grain fall out, and then the stalks are used for making thatch or feeding the cows.
Here's a photo of women cutting rice in the field. There's a communal work system here in Bali, so they are all helping with the harvest. All work is done according to the Balinese calendar, which is a religious tool by which people pick the auspicious days, or "good days" to do something. Cutting of rice is supposed to start on a Sunday according to this calendar. These women started to cut on Sunday, and continued to work on Monday, when we saw them.
Our countryside tour took us to a "legendary" spring, where people go to bathe and drink for its healing properties. It is supposed to give a man children if he can't have them, and help with other health problems. In the river beside the spring, we saw a Bali Aga man (a "primitive", according to our guide) trying to set a trap for a crocodile. Our tour continued with a little drive to Lebih Beach, which is famous for its fishing boats and fresh seafood. The sea was really rough when we were there, so no boats were out on the water. They were all pulled up on the sand, like this one:
We ate a delicious feast of fish dishes - fish soup, fish satay, fish in a banana leaf, served with rice and greens. Really tasty! I drank "es campur" for the first time - a mixture of shaved ice, condensed milk, coconut, and fermented fruit. It was delicious, and a little dangerous to eat, according to the guidebooks. I braved the dangers of Bali Belly and truly enjoyed the drink.
Our tour continued to see three village workshops and shops: a painting gallery, a place where fabric is woven and dyed, and a silversmith. Here's a shot of a woman weaving a piece of cloth by hand. The work was so beautiful, and I bought a woven bedcover in purples, reds, and yellows for my bedroom back home.
What a day it was - I got back to my hotel really tired, a little sun-touched, and crossing my fingers that the es campur and raw coconut milk wouldn't interfere with the epic mountain bike ride I had planned for the next day.
Monday, July 21, 2008
Sunday, July 20, 2008
Sauble on steroids
Here are some beach pics I took last night around sunset. It was a Sunday evening, so the beach was a bit more busy than normal. This is Kuta beach. When you've seen all the pictures, you'll agree it's like Sauble on steroids!
I spend most of my time on this beach, but a bit further away from all the busyness.
(My ear is still feeling a bit plugged, but it doesn't hurt. I can hear out of it a bit more than yesterday, so hopefully it's on the mend. The nurse at the clinic said it looked OK to her. I wore my plugs surfing today, and it worked out well.)
There are a set of soccer goals that are permanently on the beach. Sunday night has an official game, with two Bali teams competing. It was four-on-four plus goalies. The action was OK, but everyone kicked the ball over the net all the time, so I just watched for awhile. The nets are smaller, and people play in bare feet.
Here is some surfing action. The conditions would have been described as 'flat' yesterday, but there was still enough surf for having fun. The swell returned today, making the waves pretty savage! They're super heavy so not too many people got out there today on high tide. I went out, and surfed the white chop again, and am getting pretty good at standing up on command.
There are lifeguards stationed up and down the beach. This shot is at low tide, showing the ever-vigilant surf patrolman. Notice all the people!
If you're a swimmer, you'll also be safe at Kuta Beach! From drowning, anyway...but you'll never be safe from the lifeguards and their swimwear choices!
I think a few things came together to get all these people at the beach...nice weather, low tide, and a Sunday evening sunset. Whatever the reason, look at them all! I don't mind being part of the throng...I enjoy it actually. Possibly China has prepared me for crowded places.
Both tourists and locals come down to the beach, and most everyone has a good time. Today I walked further north up the beach, where there are a lot of expensive beachfront hotels. Those people weren't having fun...they were just laying in the sun and looked miserable. I'm glad I'm where the action is, and not where people are boring.
And, a few pictures of the sunset.
You can make out all the surfers in the lineup, waiting to catch a wave. Everyone bobs in the ocean behind the waves, until one of their liking comes along. It's bad form to snake a wave from someone else, so only one person surfs a wave at a time. Sometimes friends will take off together, but it's very impolite to steal someone's wave, making them bail to avoid a collision.
I hope to get a sunset surf session in tonight. The waves should be smallish, and the light will be sublime. It'll be fun, and I might find some waves I can practice on, instead of surfing the white chop again. Who knows though...the ocean changes all the time, depending on the swell and tide.
So, that's Kuta Beach. It is full of tourists and people selling things, but I like it! I enjoy being on the beach for most of the day. I have found a hat Dad would be proud of, and I hide from the sun as much as possible. I could rent an umbrella on the beach, but I just find a tree to sit under instead.
I spend most of my time on this beach, but a bit further away from all the busyness.
(My ear is still feeling a bit plugged, but it doesn't hurt. I can hear out of it a bit more than yesterday, so hopefully it's on the mend. The nurse at the clinic said it looked OK to her. I wore my plugs surfing today, and it worked out well.)
There are a set of soccer goals that are permanently on the beach. Sunday night has an official game, with two Bali teams competing. It was four-on-four plus goalies. The action was OK, but everyone kicked the ball over the net all the time, so I just watched for awhile. The nets are smaller, and people play in bare feet.
Here is some surfing action. The conditions would have been described as 'flat' yesterday, but there was still enough surf for having fun. The swell returned today, making the waves pretty savage! They're super heavy so not too many people got out there today on high tide. I went out, and surfed the white chop again, and am getting pretty good at standing up on command.
There are lifeguards stationed up and down the beach. This shot is at low tide, showing the ever-vigilant surf patrolman. Notice all the people!
If you're a swimmer, you'll also be safe at Kuta Beach! From drowning, anyway...but you'll never be safe from the lifeguards and their swimwear choices!
I think a few things came together to get all these people at the beach...nice weather, low tide, and a Sunday evening sunset. Whatever the reason, look at them all! I don't mind being part of the throng...I enjoy it actually. Possibly China has prepared me for crowded places.
Both tourists and locals come down to the beach, and most everyone has a good time. Today I walked further north up the beach, where there are a lot of expensive beachfront hotels. Those people weren't having fun...they were just laying in the sun and looked miserable. I'm glad I'm where the action is, and not where people are boring.
And, a few pictures of the sunset.
You can make out all the surfers in the lineup, waiting to catch a wave. Everyone bobs in the ocean behind the waves, until one of their liking comes along. It's bad form to snake a wave from someone else, so only one person surfs a wave at a time. Sometimes friends will take off together, but it's very impolite to steal someone's wave, making them bail to avoid a collision.
I hope to get a sunset surf session in tonight. The waves should be smallish, and the light will be sublime. It'll be fun, and I might find some waves I can practice on, instead of surfing the white chop again. Who knows though...the ocean changes all the time, depending on the swell and tide.
So, that's Kuta Beach. It is full of tourists and people selling things, but I like it! I enjoy being on the beach for most of the day. I have found a hat Dad would be proud of, and I hide from the sun as much as possible. I could rent an umbrella on the beach, but I just find a tree to sit under instead.
Saturday, July 19, 2008
A few recent pictures
This is Jon checking in with a picture post.
After I blogged yesterday, I decided to go out and have another surf. I ended up getting hammered by two waves in a row and got water in my ear. I wasn't wearing my earplugs because I often talk to people in the water, and also because my ears have been OK with surfing for the past five days.
I paddled into a wave that turned out to be way bigger than I thought, and I didn't have the experience or skill to ride it. I bailed, and got pounded twice...the first time pushed me underwater, and the second pounding spun me around and around once I was down there, holding me under for a while.
Water got forced into my ear, and I came to the surface all dizzy, with my throat hurting. I tapped out after that, but not before getting worked by another big wave that I tried to ride into shore. Ouch. It's normal to have big wipeouts, and part of the learning process I guess. It's so painful though!
So, I'm taking the day off today because my ear is acting up Carol-style. Hopefully not as bad as hers though. The doctor flushed it out, but I don't feel an improvement. I will give it some more time.
I won't surf today, and will hide from the sun. While I do that, I'll post some pictures from the last few days. Kir will have posted some similar ones already.
Here is Kir and I with the monkeys at the Uluwatu temple. Kir got nervous and threw her whole bag of bananas to the monkey on the left. He didn't share with the approaching monkey on the right.
Here is my shot of the cliff-top temple, along with a shot looking away from the temple. The temple is on the southern tip of Bali. It's important to not fall over the cliff, since the next piece of land you'll hit is Antarctica. If you don't hit rocks on the way down, of course.
We also went to Padang-Padang beach, which has one of the world's best (consistently breaking, consistently big) left handed tubes. A boat crashed into the coral really close to the wave, but the wave is OK. I didn't get a picture of the wave, because the tide was out with no swell, so it was flat when we were there.
The boat has been there for six days, and there are plans to tow it off the reef when the tide is right. Apparently it was an illegal fishing boat that Greenpeace activists were searching for. These days, it's not very difficult to find.
Those are all the pictures for now! Remember to click them to make them bigger, especially the scenery ones.
After I blogged yesterday, I decided to go out and have another surf. I ended up getting hammered by two waves in a row and got water in my ear. I wasn't wearing my earplugs because I often talk to people in the water, and also because my ears have been OK with surfing for the past five days.
I paddled into a wave that turned out to be way bigger than I thought, and I didn't have the experience or skill to ride it. I bailed, and got pounded twice...the first time pushed me underwater, and the second pounding spun me around and around once I was down there, holding me under for a while.
Water got forced into my ear, and I came to the surface all dizzy, with my throat hurting. I tapped out after that, but not before getting worked by another big wave that I tried to ride into shore. Ouch. It's normal to have big wipeouts, and part of the learning process I guess. It's so painful though!
So, I'm taking the day off today because my ear is acting up Carol-style. Hopefully not as bad as hers though. The doctor flushed it out, but I don't feel an improvement. I will give it some more time.
I won't surf today, and will hide from the sun. While I do that, I'll post some pictures from the last few days. Kir will have posted some similar ones already.
Here is Kir and I with the monkeys at the Uluwatu temple. Kir got nervous and threw her whole bag of bananas to the monkey on the left. He didn't share with the approaching monkey on the right.
Here is my shot of the cliff-top temple, along with a shot looking away from the temple. The temple is on the southern tip of Bali. It's important to not fall over the cliff, since the next piece of land you'll hit is Antarctica. If you don't hit rocks on the way down, of course.
We also went to Padang-Padang beach, which has one of the world's best (consistently breaking, consistently big) left handed tubes. A boat crashed into the coral really close to the wave, but the wave is OK. I didn't get a picture of the wave, because the tide was out with no swell, so it was flat when we were there.
The boat has been there for six days, and there are plans to tow it off the reef when the tide is right. Apparently it was an illegal fishing boat that Greenpeace activists were searching for. These days, it's not very difficult to find.
Those are all the pictures for now! Remember to click them to make them bigger, especially the scenery ones.
My routine
This is Jon.
I figured I might as well let you know my daily routine. It's quite nice, and I enjoy it.
In the morning, I usually wake up by 7:30am. I have a tide chart, and depending on the tides of the day, I either rush to get to the beach, or I take my time. High tide is the best for surfing, so I aim to be in the water then.
Our little cottage provides breakfast, so I eat a banana jaffle and drink Balinese tea before I leave for the beach. There is a crew of 50+ year-old Aussie surfers that are staying there too (their stays range from four to six months!) so we usually chat with them over breakfast. They tell tales of what it was like surfing Bali twenty five years ago, and like to give me tips to help me learn.
After breakfast, I make my way to the beach. Kuta Beach is about a ten minute walk away, unless we cut through the grounds of a large hotel. It has two pools and lots of rooms, so we just walk through the back gate and pretend we're guests. It spits us out pretty close to the beach.
The Aussies from our cottages talk about wanting to snake the hotel's breakfast buffet, while Kirsten is into copping a swim in the pools. I think both are possible, but I'm partial to the food option.
At the beach, I pick up my surfboard. I rent it from some Indonesians who have a stand set up, and I have paid for a week in advance. I use the board when I want, and when I'm not surfing, I leave it with them. I also leave my backpack there, so it's safe. The Indonesians are with the boards all day, and don't mind customers leaving their stuff.
My board is an 8'2" mini-mal. That's the length and type of the board. It's one step removed from a nine-footish longboard, which is what most people learn on. I've been cutting my teeth learning to stand up, and finally I've got it. Not every time, but most times. I'm still surfing the white foam/chop, and will try to surf a real wave when they're not too big.
The surf was huge yesterday...guys were getting barreled at Kuta, which doesn't happen to much. The waves were overhead (which means that when you're surfing inside it, the top of the wave is above your head) and heavy, so I didn't go out to them. I stayed closer to shore and practiced standing up, riding the white foam.
I surf for an hour or two at a time, then head back inland. I leave my board, grab my book, and read in the shade. I used to read in the sun, but now my nose is peeling, so I've taken to finding shelter. I also eat an early lunch of rice, eggs, and vegetables which I buy from a warung ten meters away from the surfboard stand. it cost one dollar, and fills me up.
After I've read enough and eaten enough, I head to the surfboard stand again. The same people hang out there, both Indonesians and foreigners. There's usually someone to talk to or hang out with, so if I'm up for it, I do. Often I'm not up for it, so I take a stroll along the beach.
I spend most of my day at the beach, alternating among surfing, reading, and walking about. At sunset, I usually find myself at the surfboard stand again, and Kir is usually there too. Kir and I agree that a Lake Huron sunset is superior to a Bali sunset, no matter how famous they are here.
After the sun disappears, we'll go somewhere for supper. Sometimes we'll go with Natalie, our friend from Switzerland. She's learning to surf as well, so it's fun to swap tales of our achievements or blunders from the day.
After that, Kir and I usually find something to do until it's good and dark. Then I go home, read some more, and then fall asleep.
It's quite a nice rhythm. I enjoy being on the beach, and I enjoy trying to get better at surfing. Peter, one of the aging Aussies from our cottages, likes to remind me that it's all about having fun. This is good to remember when I keep getting pounded by waves and find myself getting frustrated.
So, the times are good here in Bali. The guidebooks and other people I've talked to don't really like Kuta, since it's really commercialized and everyone is trying to sell you something.
I don't mind the Kuta atmosphere. Many people speak English, and I stop and chat with storekeepers and random others sometimes. I have rented a hundred year-old cruiser (Kir posted a picture of it a few days ago) so I trundle around on that, going where I need to go.
Carol, you must come here soon, since you can't be here now. If I can afford it, I'll come with you. You'll like it...it's great here, and I really want to come back. It'd be nice to have you along on this trip though!
I figured I might as well let you know my daily routine. It's quite nice, and I enjoy it.
In the morning, I usually wake up by 7:30am. I have a tide chart, and depending on the tides of the day, I either rush to get to the beach, or I take my time. High tide is the best for surfing, so I aim to be in the water then.
Our little cottage provides breakfast, so I eat a banana jaffle and drink Balinese tea before I leave for the beach. There is a crew of 50+ year-old Aussie surfers that are staying there too (their stays range from four to six months!) so we usually chat with them over breakfast. They tell tales of what it was like surfing Bali twenty five years ago, and like to give me tips to help me learn.
After breakfast, I make my way to the beach. Kuta Beach is about a ten minute walk away, unless we cut through the grounds of a large hotel. It has two pools and lots of rooms, so we just walk through the back gate and pretend we're guests. It spits us out pretty close to the beach.
The Aussies from our cottages talk about wanting to snake the hotel's breakfast buffet, while Kirsten is into copping a swim in the pools. I think both are possible, but I'm partial to the food option.
At the beach, I pick up my surfboard. I rent it from some Indonesians who have a stand set up, and I have paid for a week in advance. I use the board when I want, and when I'm not surfing, I leave it with them. I also leave my backpack there, so it's safe. The Indonesians are with the boards all day, and don't mind customers leaving their stuff.
My board is an 8'2" mini-mal. That's the length and type of the board. It's one step removed from a nine-footish longboard, which is what most people learn on. I've been cutting my teeth learning to stand up, and finally I've got it. Not every time, but most times. I'm still surfing the white foam/chop, and will try to surf a real wave when they're not too big.
The surf was huge yesterday...guys were getting barreled at Kuta, which doesn't happen to much. The waves were overhead (which means that when you're surfing inside it, the top of the wave is above your head) and heavy, so I didn't go out to them. I stayed closer to shore and practiced standing up, riding the white foam.
I surf for an hour or two at a time, then head back inland. I leave my board, grab my book, and read in the shade. I used to read in the sun, but now my nose is peeling, so I've taken to finding shelter. I also eat an early lunch of rice, eggs, and vegetables which I buy from a warung ten meters away from the surfboard stand. it cost one dollar, and fills me up.
After I've read enough and eaten enough, I head to the surfboard stand again. The same people hang out there, both Indonesians and foreigners. There's usually someone to talk to or hang out with, so if I'm up for it, I do. Often I'm not up for it, so I take a stroll along the beach.
I spend most of my day at the beach, alternating among surfing, reading, and walking about. At sunset, I usually find myself at the surfboard stand again, and Kir is usually there too. Kir and I agree that a Lake Huron sunset is superior to a Bali sunset, no matter how famous they are here.
After the sun disappears, we'll go somewhere for supper. Sometimes we'll go with Natalie, our friend from Switzerland. She's learning to surf as well, so it's fun to swap tales of our achievements or blunders from the day.
After that, Kir and I usually find something to do until it's good and dark. Then I go home, read some more, and then fall asleep.
It's quite a nice rhythm. I enjoy being on the beach, and I enjoy trying to get better at surfing. Peter, one of the aging Aussies from our cottages, likes to remind me that it's all about having fun. This is good to remember when I keep getting pounded by waves and find myself getting frustrated.
So, the times are good here in Bali. The guidebooks and other people I've talked to don't really like Kuta, since it's really commercialized and everyone is trying to sell you something.
I don't mind the Kuta atmosphere. Many people speak English, and I stop and chat with storekeepers and random others sometimes. I have rented a hundred year-old cruiser (Kir posted a picture of it a few days ago) so I trundle around on that, going where I need to go.
Carol, you must come here soon, since you can't be here now. If I can afford it, I'll come with you. You'll like it...it's great here, and I really want to come back. It'd be nice to have you along on this trip though!
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